Internal combustion engines



June 1, 1965 M. c. POTTER 3,18%,383

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed novqzs, 1962 mvzuron spondsto FIG. 5.

The invention concerns internal combustion engines and more particularly relates to rotary engines, hereinafter referred to as an engine of the type specified.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide an improved engine of the type specified.

According to the present invention an engine of the type specified comprises an output shaft, a body member mounted for rotation about the axis of said shaft, a plurality of part annular cavities within said body memher and having their centre of curvature on the rotational axis thereof, an arcuate piston in each such cavity adapted to be reciprocated axially thereof, connector means secured to said pistons adapted to transmit motion thereof to the said output shaft, inlet means in said chambers whereby fuel may be applied to the combustion chambers formed between the pistons and the end faces of the cavities, outlet means whereby burnt gases may be removed from the chambers, a first unidirectional clutch means between the body member and a fixed support, a second unidirectional clutch means between the connector means and a fixed support, a third unidirectional clutch means between the body member and the output shaft, a fourth unidirectional clutch means between the connector means and the output shaft, the unidirectional clutch means between the fixed support and the body member and between such support and the connector means being adapted to prevent motion of the said body member and connector means relative to the fixed support in the reverse sense of the output shaft, the remaining clutch means being so arranged as to allow of the overrun of the output shaft relative to the body member or the connector means.

In one embodiment of the invention the connector means is constituted by a front plate of the body member, such front plate being rotatable relative to the said body member and defining, with the said body member, the part annular cavities.

Theinvention will now be described further, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating several embodiments thereof and in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross section taken diametrically through i a first embodiment thereof; I

' FIGS. 2a, 2b are sections taken along lines Ila-Ha and IIbIIb respectively of FIG. 1;

and

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatieal representation of a modified form of the third embodiment of the engine and corre- Thus, referring now to FIGS. 1, 2a and 2bof the I drawings an engine of the kind specified consists of a body member 11 formedfrom two parallel, spaced plate- United States Patent like members 11a, 11b freely rotatable upon a common output shaft 12, complementary formations on the members 11a, 11b so arranged as' to define a plurality of combustion chambers 13 therebetweema first unidirectional clutch means 14, 15 between each individual platelike member and a fixed support, for example the engine 3,185,383 Patented June 1, 1965 "ice housing 16, and a second unidirectional clutch means 17, 18 between each plate-like member Ha, lib and the common output shaft 12.

It has been found convenient to use a commercially avaiiable sprag-clutch and thus no detailed description of such assembly is thought to be necessary.

The adjacent faces of the plate-like members 11a, 11b each have a circular channel 19 machined therein, the channels 19 each being of semi-circular cross section and being located in corresponding positions on the two members 11a, 1117. In the channel 19 so formed are located arcuate piston elements 20 of dimensions complementary to the cross sectional dimensions of the annular ring formed when the two plate like members are placed in abutment, four such elements 20 being equally spaced around each channel 19 and being firmly secured to the appropriate plate-like member. The length of each element 29 is such that the elements of one plate-like member 11a may be engaged with the gaps between adjacent such elements 26 of the other plate-like member ,ilb whilst leaving a space or combustion chamber 13 between successive elements. The piston elements 20 and the circular channel define the complementary formations before referred to.

The first and second unidirectional clutch means 14, 17 in respect of plate-like members 11a are oppositely directed; that is to say one clutch means 14 will allow free rotation of the disc-like member in one direction relative to the fixed support, a direction corresponding to the such as to allow rotation of the members in the same sense.

Fuel inlet ports 21, exhaust ports 22 and ignition means (not shown) are provided in respect of each combustion chamber, and appropriate seals (not shown) are provided between the plate-like members to maintain a gas tight joint thereat.

The operation of the engine is as follows:

Referring now particularly to FIGS. 2a, 2b, a suitable fuel-air mixture is introduced into one set of combustion chambers a, that is to say the first set of chambers, and upon relative rotation between the plate-like members 11a, 11b such mixture is compressed. At an appropriate stage in the cycle the mixture is ignited and the piston faces defining the end walls of the chamber are moved apart. Since rotation of plate-like member 11a in a rearward direction is not possible because of the unidirectional clutch means 14 between the member and the fixed support, one member 111) will be accelerated whilst the other lia reduces its rate of rotation, or stops.

The arrangement of clutch means 15, 18 between the forwardly moving plate-like member 1112 and the common shaft 12 is such that the said shaft 12 is rotated by suchmembers 11b, the shaft 12 being free to rotate relative to the other plate-like member 11a because of clutch means 17.

If a combustible mixture is introduced into the remaining chambers b at an appropriate stage in the cycle, upon ignition taking place in respect of the mixture already present in the first set of chambers a, the mixture now introduced will be compressed ready for ignition. Upon combustion of the mixture in the second of these chambers move apart and because of the clutch arrangements, one plate-like member 11a moves forward relative to the fixed support, thus driving the common shaft 12, whilstthe other member 11b comes to rest, or

revolves at a lower rate.

The exhaust gases are discharged from the chambers at the maximum volume conditions of the chambers and a fresh air-fuel mixture introduced during the compression stroke of the other set of chambers.

'By repeating the cycles the output shaft can be caused to rotate by applying successive impulses thereto, the impulses stemming alternatively from one end then the other plate-like member.

For starting purposes it is thought that it will be necessary to disengage the unidirectional clutch between a plate-like member, say member 11b, and the fixed support in order that said member may be rotated in the reverse direction to compress the mixture.

In a second embodiment, see now FIG. 3, one platelike member 11a is formed with an inclined periphery 11c thereto, the other plate-like member 11b having a similarly inclined inner face 11d thereto, channels 19' being provided in the member 11a, 11b to receive piston members 20. The second embodimentcorresponds in all other material respects with the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 and thus no further description is thought necessary. It is to be appreciated that the angle may be varied to meet particular requirements and in some instances the chambers may even be formed in the cylindrical periphery of a plate-like member.

In a third embodiment, see now FIGS. 4 and 5, a rotary internal combustion engine comprises a body part 41 of disc-like form having an annular groove 42, of semi-circular cross section, formed therein, two arcuate elements 43 within said groove 42 and defining the ends of arcuate cavities in such groove, a piston member 44 located in each cavity so defined and forming combustion chambers 45 between the member 44 and the elements 43, and a connecting rod assembly 46 between the piston members 44 and a drive element 47. A cover plate 48, likewise having an annular groove 49 therein, is applied to the body part 41, the arcuate elements 43 provided in the body part 41 extending into such groove 49, the latter combining with the like arrangement in the body part to define arcuate combustion chambers 45 of circular cross-section.

Each of the arcuate elements 43 has an axially directed through bore 43' thereto, the said here 43' being of increased dimension inwardly of the element and breaking through the surface thereof at one side to form a slot 43 for a purpose later to become apparent.

The connecting rod assembly 46 includes arcuate rods 46a secured to the piston members 44 thus to maintain such members .44 in a predetermined spaced apart disposition, the said rods 46a extending along the axis of the groove and into the through bore 43 in the arcuate elements 43. Thus the piston members 44 are capable of movement within the combustion chambers in unison one with the other by an amount determined by the axial extent of such chamber. At two diametrically opposed points on the arcuate rods 46a are provided connecting elements 46b, such elements 46b initially extending through the slots 43a" in the arcuate elements and axially of the engine and subsequently radially thereoflthe connecting elements 46b terminating in the drive element 47.

Appropriate seals, not shown, are provided between the arcuate rods 46a and the bore '43 of the arcuate elements 43 and inlet andexhaust ports (not shown), are provided in respect to each combustion chamber.

A unidirectional clutch 50 is provided between the body part 41 and a fixed structure 51 and a second clutch 52, between the body part 41 and an output shaft 53.

Further unidirectional clutches 54, 55 are provided Ibetv Iren tl 'assembly 46 and a fixed structure 56 and between the driven element 47 and the output shaft 52.

Conveniently the body part is freely mounted upon the output shaft with a unidirectional clutch between such body part and the said output shaft, and the driving member is formed as a sleeve or other structure freely mounted upon and in co-axial relationship with the said shaft, a unidirectional clutch being provided between the sleeve and the shaft.

The operation of the engine is similar to the engine shown in FIGS. 1 and 2a, 2b and thus no further description is thought necessary.

The embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5 can be conveniently modified by replacing the arcuate elements by discs 57 in a like manner to that shown in FIG. 6, the discs 57 being located in appropriately positioned recesses in the channel.

The invention is not restricted to the particular features of the embodiments hereinbefore described since alternatives will readily present themselves to one skilled in the art.

For example, the number of combustion chambers may be varied to suit particular requirements, whilst each platelike member of the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 3 may, if desired, be arranged to rotate a separate output shaft.

Furthermore, each plate-like member may have a brake associated therewith if desired.

In so far as the embodiment of FIGS. 4 to 6 is particularly concerned the chambers may be of other than circular cross-section, di-ametrical extensions thereto being provided in the form of channels in the body part and/0r cover, the connecting rods extending through the chamber end walls in the region of such extensions.

It is also to be understood that by an appropriate selection of combustible fuel mixture, spontaneous combustion of the mixture may be arranged and thus the need for including an ignition means obviated.

What I claim is:

1. A'rotary internal combustion engine comprising an output shaft having a forward direction of rotation, an engine body mounted for rotation about the axis of said shaft, a fixed support for said body, at least two arcuate chambers within said body, the axes of curvature of said chambers being coaxial with said shaft, an arcuate piston within each chamber and slidable with respect to said body along the axis of said chamber, each of said pistons having an arcuate length less than the arcuate length of its respective chamber thereby defining a combustion chamber adjacent to each of its ends, piston rods rigidly interconnecting said pistons, a drive element independent of said body mounted for rotation about the axis of said shaft, connection means rigidly connecting said pistons to said drive element, inlet and outlet ports in said combustion chambers through which fuel may be introduced into and products of combustion exhausted from said chambers, a first unidirectional clutch between said body and support and a second unidirectional clutch between said drive element and said support, said clutches permitting rotation of said body and drive element, respectively, in said forward direction but preventing such rotation in the opposite direction, and a third unidirectional clutch between said body and shaft and a fourth unidirectional clutch between said drive element and shaft, said clutches causing said shaft to rotate with said body and drive element, respectively, when said body and drive element rotate in said forward direction but permitting said body and drive element, respectively, to rotate in the opposite direction with respect to said shaft, whereby when fuel burns in the combustion chambers adjacent to the forward adjacent to the rearward ends of said pistons said pistons are urged in the forward direction of rotation, thereby rotating said output shaft with it through said connection means and drive element.

2. An engine as defined in claim 1 wherein said arcuate chambers are portions of a single annular chamber in said body, and including at least two barrier means fixed to said body within said annular chamber, said barrier means being spaced apart along the axis of said annular chamber in order to define said arcuate chambers.

3. An engine as defined in claim 1 wherein said drive element is a sleeve surrounding said shaft.

4. An engine as defined in claim 1 wherein said arcuate chambers are portions of a single annular chamber in said body, and including at least two barrier means fixed to said body within said annular chamber, said barrier means being spaced apart along the axis of said annular chamber in order to define said arcuate chambers, said piston rods being slidable through said barrier means.

5. An engine as defined in claim 4 wherein each of said barrier means is a hollow arcuate element, said piston rods being rigid arcuate rods slidably accommodated by said arcuate elements, each of said arcuate elements having an elongated arcuate slot in its side wall, and said connection means extending through said slots and being rigidly fastened to said piston rods.

6. An engine as defined in claim 4 wherein each of said barrier means consists of a pair of arcuately spaced discs, each disc being provided with a hole, said piston rods being rigid arcuate rods slidable through said holes, and said connection means being rigidly fastened to each piston rod in the region of said rod located between its respective pair of said discs.

7. A rotary internal combustion engine comprising an output shaft having a forward direction of rotation, an engine body mounted for rotation about the axis of said shaft, a fixed support for said body, at least two arcuate chambers within said body, the axes of curvature of said chambers being coaxial with said shaft, an arcuate piston within each chamber and slidable with respect to said body along the axis of said chamber, each of said pistons having an arcuate length less than the arcuate length of its respective chamber thereby defining a combustion chamber adjacent to each of its ends, a drive element independent of said body mounted for rotation about the axis of said shaft, connection means rigidly connecting said pistons to said drive element, inlet and outlet ports in said combustion chambers through which fuel may be introduced into and products of combustion exhausted from said chambers, a first unidirectional clutch between said body and support and a second unidirectional clutch between said drive element and said support, said clutches permitting rotation of said body and drive element, respectively, in said forward direction but preventing such rotation in the opposite direction, and a third unidirectional clutch between said body and shaft and a fourth unidirectional clutch between said drive element and shaft, said clutches causing said shaft to rotate with said body and drive element, respectively, when said body and drive element rotate in said froward direction but permitting said body and drive element, respectively, to rotate in the opposite direction with respect to said shaft, whereby when fuel burns in the combustion chambers adjacent to the forward ends of said pistons said body is urged in the forward direction of rotation thereby rotating said output shaft with it and when fuel burns in the combustion chambers adjacent to the rearward ends of said pistons said pistons are urged in the forward direction of rotation, thereby rotating said output shaft with it through said connection means and drive element.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 787,370 4/05 Fuller 9160 895,043 8/08 Rossbach-Rousset 230144 1,212,649 1/17 Krikorian 123--11 2,790,534 l/ 31 Chevall-ier et al. 123--11 2,352,877 7/44 Wolstenholme 103129 2,373,791 4/45 Stewart 123-11 2,544,480 3/51 Bancroft 103-129 2,631,545 3/53 Jones 103l29 2,682,230 6/54 Buss 103l29 2,731,000 1/56 Pelhat 123-11 FOREIGN PATENTS 276,782 9/27 Great Britain.

KARL I. ALBRECHT, Primary Examiner.

WILBUR J. GOODLIN, JOSEPH H. BRANSON, 1a.,

Examiners. 

1. A ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE COMPRISING AN OUTPUT SHAFT HAVING A FORWARD DIRECTION OF ROTATION, AN ENGINE BODY MOUNTED FOR ROTATION ABOUT THE AXIS OF SAID SHAFT, A FIXED SUPPORT FOR SAID BODY, AT LEAST TWO ARCUATE CHAMBERS WITHIN SAID BODY, THE AXES OF CURVATURE OF SAID CHAMBERS BEING COAXIAL WITH SAID SHAFT, AN ARCUATE PISTON WITHIN EACH CHAMBER AND SLIDABLE WITH RESPECT TO SAID BODY ALONG THE AXIS OF SAID CHAMBER, EACH OF SAID PISTONS HAVING AN ARCUATE LENGTH LESS THAN THE ARCUATE LENGTH OF ITS RESPECTIVE CHAMBER THEREBY DEFINING A COMBUSTION CHAMBER ADJACENT TO EACH OF ITS ENDS, PISTON RODS RIGIDLY INTERCONNECTING SAID PISTONS, A DRIVE ELEMENT INDEPENDENT OF SAID BODY MOUNTED FOR ROTATION ABOUT THE AXIS OF SAID SHAFT, CONNECTION MEANS RIGIDLY CONNECTING SAID PISTONS TO SAID DRIVE ELEMENT, INLET AND OUTLET PORTS IN SAID COMBUSTION CHAMBERS THROUGH WHICH FUEL MAY BE INTRODUCED INTO AND PRODUCTS OF COMBUSTION EXHAUSTED FROM SAID CHAMBERS, A FIRST UNIDIRECTIONAL CLUTCH BETWEEN SAID BODY AND SUPPORT AND A SECOND UNIDIRECTIONAL CLUTCH BETWEEN SAID DRIVE ELEMENT AND SAID SUPPORT, SAID CLUTCHES PERMITTING ROTATION OF SAID BODY AND DRIVE ELEMENT, RESPECTIVELY, IN SAID FORWARD DIRECTION BUT PREVENTING SUCH ROTATION IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, AND A THIRD UNIDIRECTIONAL CLUTCH BETWEEN SAID BODY AND SHAFT AND A FOURTH UNIDIRECTIONAL CLUTCH BETWEEN SAID DRIVE ELEMENT AND SHAFT, SAID CLUTCHES CAUSING SAID SHAFT TO ROTATE WITH SAID BODY AND DRIVE ELEMENT, RESPECTIVELY, WHEN SAID BODY AND DRIVE ELEMENT ROTATE IN SAID FORWARD DIRECTION BUT PERMITTING SAID BODY AND DRIVE ELEMENT, RESPECTIVELY, TO ROTATE IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION WITH RESPECT TO SAID SHAFT, WHEREBY WHEN FUEL BURNS IN THE COMBUSTION CHAMBERS ADJACENT TO THE FORWARD ENDS OF SAID PISTONS SAID BODY IS URGED IN THE FORWARD DIRECTION OF ROTATION THEREBY ROTATING SAID OUTPUT SHAFT WITH IT AND WHEN FUEL BURNS IN THE COMBUSTION CHAMBERS ADJACENT TO THE REARWARD ENDS OF SAID PISTONS SAID PISTONS ARE URGED IN THE FORWARD DIRECTION OF ROTATION, THEREBY ROTATING SAID OUTPUT SHAFT WITH IT THROUGH SAID CONNECTION MEANS AND DRIVE ELEMENT. 